1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a memory card connector, and more specifically, to a memory card connector with card eject mechanism.
2. Description of Related Arts
Memory cards are known in the art and contain intelligence in the form of a memory circuit or other electronic program. Typically, a memory card includes a contact or terminal array for connection through a card connector to a card reader system and then to external equipment. The connector readily accommodates insertion and removal of the card to provide quick access to the information and program on the card. The card connector includes terminals for yieldingly engaging the contact array of the memory card.
In order to facilitate widespread use of memory cards, certain standards have been developed, for example the PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) standard that defines, inter alia, the connection interface and external dimensions of the cards. In later of 2003, a new standard, Express Card, is published by PCMCIA. This new Express card standard has two different types, a rectangular memory card, and a L-shaped memory card. Accordingly, two different types memory card connectors are provided to accommodate these two express cards. Noticeably, a rectangular memory card connector can only accommodate a rectangular memory card, and a L-shaped memory card connector can accommodate two different types memory cards respectively.
Conventional memory card connectors are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,222B2 issued at Mar. 28, 2006 and U.S. Pub. No.: 2005/0272291A1 published at Dec. 8, 2005, which are assigned to same assignee, Molex. These memory card connectors include a card eject mechanism for ejecting cards from the connectors by push-push operation. Each card eject mechanism has a cam slider installed on the connector housing and with a cam slot defined therein, a cam follower moveably sliding in cam slot to drive the card to repeatedly locate between a locking position and an original position, a coil spring for biasing the cam slider in an card ejection direction. And, each cam slider has a transverse portion (See 74b in US 2005/0272283A1, and 76a in U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,222B2) for mating with a front face of card when a card is in an insertion process, and biasing the card out when a card is in an ejecting process. However, in cited references, when the card is inserted in the connector, an electrical connection between the card and contacts in connector housing may be affected for a loose of the card along a vertical direction. And, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,222B2, for reason of taking up much space of connector housing by the card eject mechanism, the housing has no space for shaping a guiding slot thereon to guide an insertion of the card. In US 2005/0272283A1, the base 76, and the terminal socket 38, molded respectively and assembled in the connector later, makes a whole structure of the connector complex and difficult to assemble. Similar structures referring to memory card connectors are also described in later references, such as Taiwan Patent Nos. 267685, 247640, issued respectively at Jun. 11, 2005, and Jan. 11, 2006, and assigned to Tai Twun, and Molex.
Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,222B2, a pair of independently operable card eject mechanisms 72 is generally at opposite ends of the insulting terminal socket 38 for ejecting two different memory cards respectively. However, first, to shape the insulating terminal socket 38 with two receiving space at two opposite ends thereof for receiving card eject mechanisms 72 makes both of two lateral arms thereof thin and easy to wrap. Second, each of card eject mechanisms 72 is located within the metal housing 40 and inaccessible from exterior. Thus, either one of the card eject mechanism 72 is out of work, operation to take apart the metal shell 40 from the printed circuit board for replacing or repairing the disabled card eject mechanism, and to repeatedly install the metal shell 40 to the printed circuit board, as by soldering or screw, is needed, and complex. Third, because two independently card eject mechanisms are located at two ends of the terminal socket and in a linear array along a transverse direction of the terminal socket, during a card ejection process, ejection distances of the front edges 76a are equal to each other. Sequentially, in practice, even through the memory card is ejected to move an ejection distance by two parallel card eject mechanisms simultaneously, the memory card is, maybe, still connected with a mating tongue 66b, and an incomplete card ejection is raised.
Hence, a memory card connector having card eject mechanism is desired.